Tongs with a linear working stroke for pressing, perforating, separating and the like

ABSTRACT

Tongs with a linear working stroke, especially suited for providing solderless line-connections, are disclosed. These tongs include two jaws in a collet head. One of these jaws is stationary and the other is linearly movable relative to the stationary jaw by means of a drive mechanism. The collet head forms a housing comprising at least three connected matching plates that enclose the jaws and their drive mechanism. According to one embodiment of this invention, the movable jaw is supported on a cam disk that can be rotated by a displaceable handle or some other drive means.

United States Patent [1 1 Rommel 14 1 Sept. 9, 1975 1 TONGS WITH A LINEAR WORKING STROKE FOR PRFSSING, PERFORATING, SEPARATING AND THE LIKE [76] Inventor: Reiner Rommel, Moldaustrasse 6,

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Apr. 4, 1973 Germany 2316769 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,762,414 9/1956 Demler 72/413 2,838,970 6/l958 Motchcs ct 111..

2,898,790 8/1959 Lazar ct al 81/361 2,900,854 8/1959 Werner 81/422 3,075,198 l/l963 Oven... 29/203 H 3,204,445 9/1965 Filia 29/203 H 3,584,492 6/1971 Dodge ct a1. 72/310 3,710,610 1/1973 McCaughey... 72/410 3,751,963 8/l973 Munshower et ul. 29/203 H Primary Examiner-Michael J. Keenan Attorney, Agent, or Firm-R0land l. Griffin [57] ABSTRACT Tongs with a linear working stroke, especially suited for providing solderless line-connections, are disclosed. These tongs include two jaws in a collet head. One of these jaws is stationary and the other is linearly movable relative to the stationary jaw by means of a drive mechanism. The collet head forms a housing comprising at least three connected matching plates that enclose the jaws and their drive mechanism. According to one embodiment of this invention, the movable jaw is supported on a cam disk that can be rotated by a displaceable handle or some other drive means.

34 Claims, 22 Drawing Figures PATENTEU 9 75 SHEET PATENTED SEP 9 I975 SHEET PATENTEU SEP 975 SHEET PATENI'EU 91975 3 9-03 725 SHEET 6 Pmzmensw ems 3,903,725

SHEET 7 FIG. IOA

PATENTEDSEP SHEET 9 3.903.725

PATENTED SEP 9 i975 SHEET PATENTEU SE? 975 SHEET TONGS WITH A LINEAR WORKING STROKE FOR PRESSING, PERFORATING. SEPARATING AND THE LIKE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION There are known tongs for pressing, perforating, separating and the like. especially for manufacturing solderless line-connections and sleeve-, twistand endconnections, for example, between cables and cable shoes or terminals. The tongs or presses used for such purposes usually include two relatively movable jaws with suitable press profiles. One of these jaws is displaceably guided in a suitably shaped collet head and is caused to move back and forth relative to the other, which serves as a stationary counter jaw, by means of a handle via an intermediate drive mechanism. It is difficult and thus expensive to manufacture such tongs. The relatively compact collet head which houses the jaws and the drive mechanism for the movable jaw is made of one piece, for example, by milling and drilling. This requires a number of different manufacturing machines and skilled personnel. In addition, it is cumbersome and time consuming to insert the movable members of the tongs into such a collet head.

SUMMARY OF THE lNVENTlON It is a principal object of this invention to provide tongs that are easy and inexpensive to manufacture, but nevertheless allow precise operation.

According to the illustrated preferred embodiments of this invention, this object is achieved by employing tongs with a linear path of work for pressing, perforating, separating and the like, especially for manufacturing solderless line-connections. These tongs include two jaws in a collet head, one of these jaws being stationary and the other being linearly movable back and forth relative to the stationary jaw. The movable jaw is guided in the collet head and is caused to move by means of a drive mechanism. The collet head forms a housing that encloses the jaws and the drive mechanism for the movable jaw. This housing consists of at least three superimposed flat matching plates, the two outer plates forming the cover plates and corresponding to the contour of the collet head. The intermediate plate or plates have lateral cut-outs or are smaller at their sides than the cover plates to form a space for receiving the jaws and the jaw drive mechanism. All plates are connected by means of traversing pins, jaws, screws, rivets, or the like in order to form the collet head, which is composed of a package of plates.

According to the illustrated preferred embodiments of this invention, the collet head comprises substantially five superimposed matching plates, namely, two lateral cover plates that expose the mouth of the tongs only in the operating area of the jaws, two shim plates of about halfthc width of the cover plates, and an intermediate holding plate that passes over into a stationary handle or tong leg. The shim plates and the holding plate are located between the cover plates and are displaced in such a direction relative to the backside of the collet head that there remains a free space on the side of the mouth of the collet head for guiding the movable jaw. for mounting a movable handle or tong leg. and for receiving the cooperating drive mechanism for the movable jaw. The proper drive mechanism for the movable jaw can take any suitable form and can be actuated by the movable handle, for example, by means of an intermediate elbow lever drive.

It is especially advantageous to support the movable jaw on a rotatable cam disk mounted in the collet head and rotated by means of a movable handle or other drive means. Thus, the construction of the tongs can be simplified even further while a high closing pressure is obtained by simple means. Finally, the provision of such a cam disk allows the collet head to be used alone (i.e. without the usual handles or tong legs) and connected to a machine drive. All these advantages of the novel cam disk drive can also be obtained with other embodiments of the tongs where the collet head is not composed of individual matching plates. Preferably, the drive mechanism for the rotatable cam disk comprises a free running gear that operates in only one direction.

It is of significant manufacturing advantage that all plates forming the novel tongs are shaped parts, which, together with all required bores, slots, and cut-outs, can be precisely manufactured in a single working operation, for example, by cutting, punching, casting, or the like. As to the multiple uses of the novel tongs, it is of importance that both jaws are provided with matched press profiles and can be replaced by other jaws having different press profiles. Likewise, the jaws can also form an upper die (matrix) and a lower die for perforating, cutting, or otherwise shaping materials. Finally, the jaws also may be provided with a cutting edge and a counter edge, when they are to be used for separating or shearing work pieces.

Another advantage of tongs constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiments of this invention is based on the fact that especially the stationary jaw in the collet head may be a multiple use jaw which can be inverted to provide different press profiles. The movable jaw can also be exchanged or modified to provide different working profiles. Thus, the tongs can be accommodated to the different strength of materials or the changing wire or cable dimensions. Finally, springs or locks can be provided in the collet head that on the one hand assist to open the tongs but on the other hand prevent the tongs from being opened too early, i.e. before the pressing operation is completed.

In cases where a cam disk is used for driving the movable jaw, a roller is provided at the lower end of the jaw and supported on the contour of the cam disk under the action of a spring. The mounting pin of the cam disk is provided with shoulders, guides, coupling members, or the like for replaceably mounting the movable handle of the tongs or for connecting a separate drive mechanism. Thus, the novel tongs of this invention may also be used as a machinery insert since the upper part of the tongs can be connected to a drive motor, a gear, or the like by means of a plug-in connection to the cam disk after the movable handle has been removed. The upper part of the tongs can also be connected to a separate drive mechanism by means of a flexible shaft or a drive shaft so that, for example, solderless cable connections or the like can be manufactured in switch cabinets of only limited space without the use of bulky handles or tong legs.

Another advantage of tongs constructed in accordance with some of the preferred embodiments of this invention is based on the use of the cam disk, which comprises a slowly increasing curved section for closing the jaws and a subsequent steeply decreasing curved section for causing the return of the jaws to their normal open position. The curve of the cam disk which is always pivotable by 360, allows the exertion of high working pressures. The movable handle or tong leg may. for example, in this case comprise a ratchet handle.

If, however, the upper part of the tongs should be mounted at a drive housing separate from the tongs. no handles or tong legs are required. For operation with great numbers of pieces the upper part of the tongs preferably should be directly plugged into the drive housing or connected thereto via a flexible shaft, a drive shaft, or the like. Preferably, the drive housing not only includes a drive motor but also a reduction gear drive and a time switch for deactivating the tongs after each operating action. It may also include a counting means with the necessary start and stop switches or a connection for a foot-operated switch.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective view of the end of a cable having a cable shoe mounted without solder by tongs constructed according to a preferred embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the upper part of tongs constructed according to a preferred embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 3 is a back view of the tongs of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the tongs of FIGS. 2 and 3 without the jaws.

FIGS. and 6 are sectional side views of the tongs of FIGS. 2-4 taken along the lines V V and VI VI of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the principal parts of the tongs of FIGS. 2-6.

FIG. 8 is a side view of the upper part of tongs constructed according to another preferred embodiment of this invention with a cover plate removed.

FIGS. 9A-l2 are side views of tongs constructed according to still another preferred embodiment of this invention with the cam disk drive in different working positions and with a cover plate removed in FIGS. 9A-I 18.

FIGS. 13A and B, and 14 are side and back views, respectively, of tongs constructed according to a further preferred embodiment of this invention.

FIG. I5 is an exploded view of the tongs of FIGS. 13A and B, and I4.

FIG. 16 is a schematic front view of a suitable drive means for mounting a collet head according to FIGS. l3A-I5.

FIG. 17 is a schematic top view of the drive means of FIG. 16.

FIG. I8 is a shematic view of another drive means for the tongs of FIGS. l3A-I5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a solderless connection of a cable I00 having an insulation to a cable shoe I02. For this purpose, the cable shoe I02 has sleeve-like mountings I03 and I04. The insulation 10] of the cable 100 has been removed in the region of mounting I03 but is enclosed by mounting 104. Tongs, described below, serve to press a notch I05 into mounting 103 between suitably shaped press tools. This permanently and conductively connects the cable shoe I02 to the bare bundle of wires of cable 100. The socalled insulation pressing of mounting I04 is effected in a similar manner by using a correspondingly shaped pair of press tools of the same tongs.

As shown in FIGS. 2-15, all of the illustrated preferred embodiments of the tongs employ a collet head having two outer cover plates 1, two shim plates 2, and an intermediate holding plate 3 that merges into a stationary handle or tong leg 4 (or 4'). This handle or tong leg 4 (or 4') is suitably provided with an insulating sleeve 5 or the like.

The upper part of each cover plate I has a recess 6 that is open to the front side of the cover plate. These recesses form the mouth of the tongs. Furthermore, each of the cover plates 1 has precise fitting bores 7 as well as a guide slot 8 below the recess 6.

The shim plates 2 are significantly narrower than the cover plates 1 and are also provided with suitable precise fitting bores 7. In addition, both shim plates 2 of the preferred embodiments shown in FIGS. 2-8 have bores 9 and 10 for receiving pins 11 and I2 in order to mount a locking lever 13 with a firing part and to mount a return spring 14 for the locking lever.

The holding plate 3 has precise fitting bores 7" corresponding to the bores 7 and 7' in the cover plates 1 and shim plates 2. It also has a recess 15 that in the preferred embodiments shown in FIGS. 2-8 encloses the locking lever 13 and the return spring 14 mounted between the shim plates 2. The firing part of the locking lever 13 protrudes past the front edge of the shim plates 2 and the holding plate 3. In the illustrated preferred embodiments of FIGS. 9A-l5 the recess 15 pm vides clearance space for a cam drive disk.

During the assembly of the preferred embodiments of the tongs shown in FIGS. 2-8, a first one of the shim plates 2 is put on the cover plates 1 and adjusted to align the precise fitting bores 7 and 7. Subsequently, the locking lever 13 and the return spring 14 are mounted on the first shim plate 2 followed by the holding plate 3. A plate 16, which merges into a movable handle 17 having an insulating sleeve 5 or the like, can then be mounted. The plate 16 has a convex portion and two bearing bores 19 and 20. It also has a gearing 21 adjacent to one side of the locking lever 13.

To mount the movable handle 17 of the tongs, the plate I6 is positioned between two elbow lever lashings 22, each of which has a precise fitting bore 23 by which it is mounted on a pivot or bushing 24. The elbow lever Iashings 22 also have bores 25 for receiving a hinge pin 26 on which the plate 16 is mounted by means of the bore 19. A pin 27 passes through the bore 20 of plate 16 to establish an articulated connection of plate I6 with two guide lashings 28 that engage a movable jaw of the tongs. Pin 27 and another pin 31 are mounted in bores 29 and 30, respectively, of the guide Iashings 28. These pins extend laterally beyond the lashings 28 and are guided in the slots 8 provided in the cover plates I to insure linear movement of the movable jaw of the tongs.

After the above-described mounting of the first shim plate 2 and the holding plate 3 on the first cover plate I, the plate I6 and the elbow lever lashings 22 are mounted to form an elbow lever drive. These parts are located between the front halves of the cover plates I in front of the shim plates 2 and the holding plate 3 (see FIGS. 5 and 6). Next the second shim plate 2 can be put on the holding plate 3 followed by the second cover plate I. Adjustment bolts or adjustment bushings 32 having heads 33 (for example, screw heads) are either then or previously inserted into the corresponding bores 7, 7' and 7" of the precisely fitting plates I-3 to hold all of the plates I3 and, hence, the collet head together by means of the screw heads 33 of the adjustment pins or adjustment bushings.

In the tongs illustrated in FIGS. 2, 7, l3, and IS, the pressing tool is formed by a stationary jaw 50 and a linearly movable jaw 51. The jaws 50 and 51 have guide slots 52 and 53, respectively, and have contoured working surfaces on the mutually facing sides thereof. These contoured working surfaces form a lower die 44 and an upper die 46 (matrix) as shown in FIGS. 7 and or a lower double or twin die 44' and an upper double or twin die 46' as shown in FIGS. 2 and 13. The stationary jaw 50 of the tongs is positioned with guide slot 52 over the bolt 32 directly above the mouth 6 of the tongs so that projections 54 contact the upper wall of the mouth of the tongs. Thus, by tightening the bolts 32 or screw heads 33, the stationary jaw 50 is arrested be tween the cover plates 1.

The movable jaw 51 of the tongs is positioned with its guide slot 53 loosely fitting over the pin 31 located in the guide lashings 28 and guided in slots 8 of the cover plates 1. Studs 55 are provided on each of the guide lashings 28 in front of lateral stops 56 provided on the movable jaw 51. This prevents the movable jaw 51 from slipping off of the pin 31. The jaws 50 and 51 may be exchanged for differently shaped jaws by simply detaching the corresponding bolt 32 and pin 31.

In the tongs of FIGS. 28 the plate 16 and elbow lever lashings 22 form an elbow lever drive for the mov able jaw SI of the tongs. As mentioned above, the plate 16 at the upper end of the handle 17 forms a part of the elbow lever drive and is connected to the movable jaw 51 of the tongs by means of the guide lashings 28 and the pins 27 and 3]. Leverage is obtained by moving the handle I7 of the tongs to the position indicated by the dashed and dotted lines in FIG. 6, thereby pivoting the elbow lever lashings 22 outwardly about the bushing 24 and moving the movable jaw 51 downward from the stationaryjaw 50. During this movement the gearing 21 of plate 16 engages the firing part of locking lever 13, thereby preventing the movable handle 17 from moving back before the jaws 50 and SI have completely opened. Thus, the tongs can only be closed again when the gearing 2| of the plate 16 has been completely shifted over the firing part of the locking lever [3 as indicated by the dashed and dotted lines of FIG. 6, i.e. when the jaws are completely opened.

In order to facilitate the opening of the jaws 50 and 51 of the tongs shown in FIGS. 27, a bolt 35 loaded by a spring 34 is guided in the collet head by one of the plates thereof. The head 36 of the bolt 35 sits on the movable jaw SI of the tongs or its guide lashings 28. In addition, all ofthe tongs are usually provided with a volute buffer spring (not shown) on the pin that traverses the bores 23 of the lashings 22. This volute buffer spring tends to open the elbow lever drive.

In the embodiments of the tongs shown in FIGS. 8-12, a jaw 37 is inserted into the guide lashings 28. The jaw 37 has a press profile 38 on its upper side. The cooperating counter jaw in this case is a multiple jaw 39 that has four different press profiles 40, 40a. 40b, and 40( and that is pivotably mounted on a bolt 41 fixedly supported by the cover plates 1. Depending on the use of the tongs, any of the press profiles 40-400 of the multiple jaw 39 may be displaced to face the press profile 38 of the jaw 37. The individual adjustment of the multiple jaw 39 can be fixed by means of a spring bolt 42 having a key bolt 45 that engages one of a plurality of recesses 43 of the multiple jaw 39.

Both jaws 37 and 39 are also exchangeable with other tools that are not illustrated but that are usually used for pressing, shaping, perforating, or cutting. When 10 jaws having a double or twin profile as shown in FIG.

2 but placed one after the other in the longitudinal direction of a cable are used, a cable shoe or other part to be fixed to the cable can be mounted at the bare cable and at its insulation simultaneously, i.e. an insulation splice and a cable splice (lead splice) can be performed simultaneously.

In the embodiments of the tongs shown in FIGS. 9A-l5, the movable jaw 37 (FIGS. 9A-l2) or 51 (FIGS. l3A-l5) is moved by means ofa cam drive disk 60. As already described above, the movable jaw is coupled to the axially displaceable guide lashings 28 in the collet head. A tread roller 65 is mounted on the pin 27 at the lower end of the guide lashings 28. The pin 27 and the other pin 31 in the guide lashings 28 are guided in the slots 8 of the cover plates 1. A tension spring 63 is mounted between the collet head and the movable jaw or the guide lashings 28 so that the roller 65 permanently engages the cam drive disk 60 and the movable jaw is therefore always returned to its initial position.

The cam drive disk 60 is mounted on a pin 61 in the lower part of the collet head. Pin 6] has a square member 62 that extends laterally out of the collet head. The cam drive disk 60 is driven by means of the movable handle, which in the embodiments of FIGS. 9Al5 is formed by a ratchet handle 64 having a square bore 67 in a central portion 66 thereof. This square bore can be placed on the square extension member 62 of the pin 61 on which the cam drive disk 60 is mounted. A toothed member 69 is usually provided between the central portion 66 and the lever portion of the ratchet handle 64. The toothed member 69 is only operative for engaging a key 68 of the ratchet handle 64, and thereby engaging the cam drive disk 60 with the ratchet handle 64, when the ratchet handle 64 is turned in the counterclockwise sense. When the ratchet handle 64 is turned in the clockwise sense, the toothed member 69 lifts the key 68 and is therefore inoperative for engaging the cam drive disk 60 with the ratchet handle 64. A stop 70 at the collet head limits the pivotal movement of the ratchet handle 64 and thereby prevents the user from being pinched between the ratchet handle 64 and the stationary handle 4 of the tongs.

In the embodiment of the tongs shown in FIGS. 9A-l2, the tongs are shown in FIG. 9A in their initial position (i.e., in the opened position) at which the mouth 6 of the tongs is free and the movable jaw 37 coupled to the guide lashings 28 is maintained in its downward position by abutment of the roller 65 on the lowest part of the contour of cam drive disk 60. When the ratchet handle 64 (FIG. 9B) has been placed on the square member 62 of the pin 6], the cam drive disk 60 can be turned to the middle position shown in FIG. 10A and finally to the end position shown in FIG. 11A or 12 by pivoting the ratchet handle 64 downward. Of course, the ratchet handle 64 has to be pivoted up and down several times, the movement of the cam drive disk 60 only being effected when the ratchet handle 64 is pivoted downward since the upward movement of the ratchet handle 64 is an idle turn. Once a workpiece W (see FIG. 12) to be treated has been placed between the jaws 37 and 39, the workpiece W is deformed such that a solid but solderless connection is formed between a cable and a cable shoe, a connector, or the like of the workpiece.

When the ratchet handle 64 of the tongs is actuated again, the cam drive disk 60 is turned beyond the end position (i.e., the closed position) shown in FIGS. 11A and 12 such that the roller 65 is again moved to the lowest part of the contour of the cam drive disk 60 and the guide lashings 28 and the jaw 37 are pulled from the closed position to the opened position by the spring 63 as shown in FIG. 9A. This completes the working stroke and makes the tongs ready for a new operation. In order to prevent an inadvertent opening of the tongs a breaking means such as, for example, a friction disk, a clamp or the like can be provided between the cam drive disk 60 and the collet head or at another suitable position to automatically arrest the cam drive disk 60 in its individually adjusted position and allow it to turn in only one direction.

The stationary handle or leg 4 of the tongs can be constructed so that it may be removed in a manner similar to the ratchet handle 64. As shown in FIGS. l3A-l6, this is accomplished by shortening the stationary handle 4' and providing it with bores 71. The shortened stationary handle 4' can then be coupled to a handle as shown in FIG. 13A or to a drive means 75 as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17. At its front side drive means 75 has extensions 76 or the like on which the collet head K of the tongs can be mounted by means of the handle 4' as illustrated by the dashed lines in FIGS. 16 and 17. Within the drive means 75 there is provided an electric motor 77 with a reduction gear drive 78. Gear shaft 79 of the reduction gear drive 78 has a square opening 80 into which the square member 62 of the pin 61 for the cam drive disk 60 of the collet head K can be plugged to secure the drive means 75 and the tongs. A time switch 81 can be provided in the drive means 75 so that the tongs are always automatically deactivated after each working stroke. The number of working strokes performed can be read from a counter 82. A power supply 83, a main current switch 84, and a mode switch 85 are provided at the front panel of the housing of drive means 75 so that the apparatus can be actuated by hand or by a pedal switch. The pedal switch itself is not shown. By means of a manual switch 86 the working strokes of the tongs can be initiated by hand As shown in FIG. 18, a flexible shaft 87 may be interposed between the drive means 75 and the physically separated collet head K. Thus, it is possible to make cable connections in a switch cabinet with limited space.

I claim:

1. Tongs for forming solderless connections between conductors and adjacent connectors, said tongs comprising a pair of flat matching outer plates and at least one flat intermediate plate superimposed and attached together to form a collet head, the outer plates having matching recesses therein adjacent to a front side of the collet head to form a mouth for the collet head, the in termediate plate being positioned between the outer plates in back of the mouth of the collet head to form a clearance space between the outer plates in front of the intermediate plate, a stationary jaw mounted in the clearance space between the outer plates in front of the intermediate plate and adjacent to an upper end of the mouth of the collet head, a movable jaw positioned adjacent to a lower end of the mouth of the collet head opposite the stationary jaw, a drive mechanism mounted in the clearance space between the outer plates in front of the intermediate plate and adjacent to the movable jaw, the drive mechanism being coupled to the movable jaw and to the outer plates for moving the movable jaw back and forth along a linear working path relative to the stationary jaw, a stationary handle extending downwardly from the intermediate plate for use in holding the tongs, and a movable handle coupled to the drive mechanism in the clearance space between the outer plates in front of the intermediate plate and movable relative to the collet head and the stationary handle for actuating the drive mechanism to move the movable jaw back and forth along the linear working path relative to the stationary jaw.

2. Tongs as in claim 1 wherein the drive mechanism includes a pivotable cam disk, and the movable handle includes a free running drive active in only one direction coupled to the pivotable cam disk.

3. Tongs as in claim 1 wherein the movable jaw is guided by a slot guide positioned in the outer plates adjacent to the clearance space in front of the intermediate plate, and the drive mechanism includes a cam disk and a roller spring-loaded against the circumference of the cam disk and coupled to the movable jaw.

4. Tongs as in claim 1 wherein the drive mechanism includes a earn disk mounted on a pin provided with coupling means for demountably engaging the movable handle.

5. Tongs as in claim 1 wherein the drive mechanism includes a cam disk with provision for a plug-in connection to a drive motor.

6. Tongs as in claim I wherein the drive mechanism includes a cam disk connectable with a separate drive mechanism by means of a flexible shaft.

7. Tongs as in claim 1 wherein the drive mechanism includes a cam disk, and the movable handle includes a ratchet that may be coupled to the cam disk along a mounting axis thereof.

8. Tongs as in claim 1 wherein the collet head has a pair of matching shim plates of about half the width of the outer plates, the shim plates being positioned between the outer plates on opposite sides of the intermediate plate and in back of the mouth of the collet head.

9. Tongs as in claim 8 including means in the collet head for preventing inadvertent opening of the tongs.

l0. Tongs as in claim 8 wherein each of the outer plates is provided with a guide slot adjacent to the clearance space in front of the intermediate plate, and the drive mechanism includes guide lashings coupled to the movable jaw and having guide pins captivated in the guide slots to guide the movable jaw.

ll. Tongs as in claim 8 wherein the plates forming the collet head are provided with precise fitting bores for receiving adjustment pins traversing the plates.

12. Tongs as in claim I I wherein the adjustment pins are bushings for receiving headed screws that extend beyond the plates.

13. Tongs as in claim 8 wherein the plates forming the collet head have precise fitting bores, slots, and recesses and are precisely manufactured in a single operation.

l4. Tongs as in claim 1 wherein at least one of the jaws is exchangeable.

l5. Tongs as in claim I wherein the stationary jaw is an invertible multiple tool with different press profiles.

16. Tongs as in claim 1 including a spring positioned in the clearance space between the outer plates and mounted between the jaws to facilitate the opening of the tongs.

l7. Tongs as in claim 1 including a separate drive mechanism to which the collet head can be connected, the separate drive mechanism including a speed reduction gear, a time switch for arresting the tongs after each working stroke, a counter, and means for starting and stopping operation of the separate drive mecha nism.

18. Tongs as in claim 1 wherein the drive mechanism includes a pivotable cam disk mounted in the clearance space between the outer plates and further including a cam follower coupled to the movable jaw and supported on the cam disk, and the movable handle is coupled to the cam disk.

19. Tongs as in claim 18 wherein the movable jaw is guided by a slot guide positioned in the outer plates adjacent to the clearance space in front of the intermediate plate, and the cam follower includes a roller springloaded against the circumference of the cam disk and coupled to the movable jaw.

20. Tongs as in claim 18 wherein the cam disk is provided with coupling means along its mounting axis for demountably engaging the movable handle.

2]. Tongs as in claim 18 wherein the cam disk includes provision for a plugin connection to a separate motor driven mechanism.

22. Tongs as in claim 18 wherein the cam disk is conncctahle with a separate drive mechanism by means of a flexible shaft.

23. Tongs as in claim 18 wherein the movable handle includes a ratchet key that may be coupled to the cam disk along a mounting axis thereof.

24. Tongs as in claim 18 wherein the cam disk is pivotahle by 360 for each working stroke and has a slowly increasing section that causes the closing of the jaws and a subsequent steeply decreasing section that causes the opening of the jaws.

25. Tongs as in claim 18 wherein the collet head has a pair of matching shim plates of about half the width of the outer plates, the shim plates being positioned between the outer plates on opposite sides of the interme diate plate and in back of the mouth of the collet head.

26. Tongs as in claim 25 including means for preventing inadvertent opening of the tongs.

27. Tongs as in claim 25 wherein each of the outer plates is provided with a guide slot adjacent to the clearance space in front of the intermediate plate, and the drive mechanism further includes guide lashings coupled to the movable jaw and having guide pins captivated in the guide slots to guide the movable jaw.

28. Tongs as in claim 25 wherein the plates forming the collet head are provided with precise fitting bores for receiving adjustment pins traversing the plates.

29. Tongs as in claim 25 wherein the plates forming the collet head have precise fitting bores, slots, and recesses and are precisely manufactured in a single operation.

30. Tongs as in claim 29 wherein the adjustment pins are bushings for receiving headed screws that extend beyond the plates.

31. Tongs as in claim 18 wherein at least one of the jaws is exchangeable.

32. Tongs as in claim 18 wherein the stationary jaw is an invertible multiple tool with different press profiles.

33. Tongs as in claim 18 including a spring positioned in the clearance space between the outer plates and mounted between the jaws to facilitate the opening of the tongs.

34. Tongs as in claim 18 including a separate drive mechanism to which the collet head can be connected, the separate drive mechanism including a speed reduction gear, a time switch for arresting the tongs after each working stroke, a counter, and means for starting and stopping operation of the separate drive mecha- 

1. Tongs for forming solderless connections between conductors and adjacent connectors, said tongs comprising a pair of flat matching outer plates and at least one flat intermediate plate superimposed and attached together to form a collet head, the outer plates having matching recesses therein adjacent to a front side of the collet head to form a mouth for the collet head, the intermediate plate being positioned between the outer plates in back of the mouth of the collet head to form a clearance space between the outer plates in front of the intermediate plate, a stationary jaw mounted in the clearance space between the outer plates in front of the intermediate plate and adjacent to an upper end of the mouth of the collet head, a movable jaw positioned adjacent to a lower end of the mouth of the collet head opposite the stationary jaw, a drive mechanism mounted in the clearance space between the outer plates in front of the intermediate plate and adjacent to the movable jaw, the drive mechanism being coupled to the movable jaw and to the outer plates for moving the movable jaw back and forth along a linear working path relative to the stationary jaw, a stationary handle extending downwardly from the intermediate plate for use in holding the tongs, and a movable handle coupled to the drive mechanism in the clearance space between the outer plates in front of the intermediate plate and movable relative to the collet head and the stationary handle for actuating the drive mechanism to move the movable jaw back and forth along the linear working path relative to the stationary jaw.
 2. Tongs as in claim 1 wherein the drive mechanism includes a pivotable cam disk, and the movable handle includes a free running drive active in only one direction coupled to the pivotable cam disk.
 3. Tongs as in claim 1 wherein the movable jaw is guided by a slot guide positioned in the outer plates adjacent to the clearance space in front of the intermediate plate, and the drive mechanism includes a cam disk and a roller spring-loaded against the circumference of the cam disk and coupled to the movable jaw.
 4. Tongs as in claim 1 wherein the drive mechanism includes a cam disk mounted on a pin provided with coupling means for demountably engaging the movable handle.
 5. Tongs as in claim 1 wherein the drive mechanism includes a cam disk with provision for a plug-in connection to a drive motor.
 6. Tongs as in claim 1 wherein the drive mechanism includes a cam disk connectable with a separate drive mechanism by means of a flexible shaft.
 7. Tongs as in claim 1 wherein the drive mechanism includes a cam disk, and the movable handle includes a ratchet that may be coupled to the cam disk along a mounting axis thereof.
 8. Tongs as in claim 1 wherein the collet head has a pair of matching shim plates of about half the width of the outer plates, the shim plates being positioned between the outer plates on opposite sides of the intermediate plate and in back of the mouth of the collet head.
 9. Tongs as in claim 8 including means in the collet head for preventing inadvertent opening of the tOngs.
 10. Tongs as in claim 8 wherein each of the outer plates is provided with a guide slot adjacent to the clearance space in front of the intermediate plate, and the drive mechanism includes guide lashings coupled to the movable jaw and having guide pins captivated in the guide slots to guide the movable jaw.
 11. Tongs as in claim 8 wherein the plates forming the collet head are provided with precise fitting bores for receiving adjustment pins traversing the plates.
 12. Tongs as in claim 11 wherein the adjustment pins are bushings for receiving headed screws that extend beyond the plates.
 13. Tongs as in claim 8 wherein the plates forming the collet head have precise fitting bores, slots, and recesses and are precisely manufactured in a single operation.
 14. Tongs as in claim 1 wherein at least one of the jaws is exchangeable.
 15. Tongs as in claim 1 wherein the stationary jaw is an invertible multiple tool with different press profiles.
 16. Tongs as in claim 1 including a spring positioned in the clearance space between the outer plates and mounted between the jaws to facilitate the opening of the tongs.
 17. Tongs as in claim 1 including a separate drive mechanism to which the collet head can be connected, the separate drive mechanism including a speed reduction gear, a time switch for arresting the tongs after each working stroke, a counter, and means for starting and stopping operation of the separate drive mechanism.
 18. Tongs as in claim 1 wherein the drive mechanism includes a pivotable cam disk mounted in the clearance space between the outer plates and further including a cam follower coupled to the movable jaw and supported on the cam disk, and the movable handle is coupled to the cam disk.
 19. Tongs as in claim 18 wherein the movable jaw is guided by a slot guide positioned in the outer plates adjacent to the clearance space in front of the intermediate plate, and the cam follower includes a roller spring-loaded against the circumference of the cam disk and coupled to the movable jaw.
 20. Tongs as in claim 18 wherein the cam disk is provided with coupling means along its mounting axis for demountably engaging the movable handle.
 21. Tongs as in claim 18 wherein the cam disk includes provision for a plug-in connection to a separate motor driven mechanism.
 22. Tongs as in claim 18 wherein the cam disk is connectable with a separate drive mechanism by means of a flexible shaft.
 23. Tongs as in claim 18 wherein the movable handle includes a ratchet key that may be coupled to the cam disk along a mounting axis thereof.
 24. Tongs as in claim 18 wherein the cam disk is pivotable by 360* for each working stroke and has a slowly increasing section that causes the closing of the jaws and a subsequent steeply decreasing section that causes the opening of the jaws.
 25. Tongs as in claim 18 wherein the collet head has a pair of matching shim plates of about half the width of the outer plates, the shim plates being positioned between the outer plates on opposite sides of the intermediate plate and in back of the mouth of the collet head.
 26. Tongs as in claim 25 including means for preventing inadvertent opening of the tongs.
 27. Tongs as in claim 25 wherein each of the outer plates is provided with a guide slot adjacent to the clearance space in front of the intermediate plate, and the drive mechanism further includes guide lashings coupled to the movable jaw and having guide pins captivated in the guide slots to guide the movable jaw.
 28. Tongs as in claim 25 wherein the plates forming the collet head are provided with precise fitting bores for receiving adjustment pins traversing the plates.
 29. Tongs as in claim 25 wherein the plates forming the collet head have precise fitting bores, slots, and recesses and are precisely manufactured in a single operation.
 30. Tongs as in claim 29 wherein the adjustment pins are bushings for receiving headed screws that extend beyond the plates.
 31. Tongs as in Claim 18 wherein at least one of the jaws is exchangeable.
 32. Tongs as in claim 18 wherein the stationary jaw is an invertible multiple tool with different press profiles.
 33. Tongs as in claim 18 including a spring positioned in the clearance space between the outer plates and mounted between the jaws to facilitate the opening of the tongs.
 34. Tongs as in claim 18 including a separate drive mechanism to which the collet head can be connected, the separate drive mechanism including a speed reduction gear, a time switch for arresting the tongs after each working stroke, a counter, and means for starting and stopping operation of the separate drive mechanism. 